Mum’s talk... by Sarah Reid
I have become increasingly aware this month of the power of clothing as a form of expression. Even before they are able to articulate a sentiment in words, children can and do express their thoughts and desires through dressing up.
With the – admittedly sporadic – appearance of the sun, we have been digging out sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats, shorts and sandals (such optimism!) To me, it’s an action of after-the-fact. But to two small girls, rediscovering shorts and pulling sun hats on means that it is defi nitively, categorically, summer and they will therefore play outside for hours and hours eating ice lollies.
Seen in this light, I can see afresh the appeal of the dressing-up box. I wear, therefore I am. (More than likely, what she is at this moment
is Belle from Beauty and the Beast, only with goggles and a pirate’s hook). But the possibilities are endless and she controls her identity when she controls her dress.
(The sunglasses, of course, mean she is a pop star, with the inevitable result that she poses and preens for anyone who comments on them).
And you have to admire the optimism of a one-year-old who, at close to 7pm, appears wearing two semi-infl ated armbands and a swimsuit tangled somewhere around her waist. Nice try little one. But it is an action which expresses so much more than she has words for yet. “Let’s just do something a bit wild and go swimming!” Hmm, or we could read some stories and go to bed..?
A pair of her big sister’s pants around each ankle means, “I’m not a baby any more”, while a jacket (put on with the hood towards the fl oor rather than her head) says “Cabin fever, people”.
All this dressing up is great fun of course, but I can’t help but feel perplexed when, at T minus fi ve, jackets, shoes – and sometimes even trousers – are nowhere to be seen. “But we are leaving in fi ve minutes!” I wail desperately.
I suppose it makes sense - why on earth would you need trousers when you’re a fairy- tale princess off to tackle some underwater monsters with your hooky hand?
You can follow Sarah on Twitter @sarahereid7
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